1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having a magnetic recording medium such as a discrete track medium or other media.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magnetic recording and reproducing apparatuses having a magnetic recording medium such as a discrete track medium or other media are widely known as a conventional magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus capable of high-density storage, and described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-195907.
The magnetic recording medium used in such conventional magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprises, for example, a servo data section SD and a user data section YD as shown in FIG. 12. In the servo data section SD, a special pattern, called a position detection mark for tracking (servo pattern), is formed. The special pattern is formed by physically separating a magnetic layer ML of the same material as the one used for the user data section YD, and is, for example, magnetized in one direction by an external magnetic field to store a magnetic signal.
In the conventional magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, however, a magnetic signal in the user data section YD can have two-directional polarization, whereas a magnetic signal in the servo data section SD can only have one-directional polarization. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the servo data signal SS is reproduced with an amplitude of about half the amplitude of the user data signal YS. A problem with this is that the data error rate of the servo data signal SS tends to increase due to its smaller amplitude in comparison with the amplitude of the user data signal YS, preventing a precise servo control.